


Keep Me Warm

by kanshou87



Category: Lucifer (TV)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Based on Downtown Fiction Song, Deckerstar - Freeform, F/M, Hypothermia, Identity Reveal, Near Death Experiences, Protective Lucifer Morningstar (Lucifer TV), Secret Santa Christmas Gift Exchange, Tumblr: TheDeckerstarNetwork
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-06
Updated: 2018-01-15
Packaged: 2019-03-01 02:43:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13285269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kanshou87/pseuds/kanshou87
Summary: When a lead to a crime suspect turns out to be a trap set by the Sinnerman himself, Lucifer has to make a life-changing decision - to reveal his true identity or surrender the Detective's life.





	1. Confrontation

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Sanoiro](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sanoiro/gifts).



> This fic was inspired by Downtown Fiction's song - Keep Me Warm. 
> 
> Sanoiro, my deepest apologies for posting this late. My PC KO-ed two weeks before Christmas and ended up in the workshop for nearly three weeks. I gave up waiting and rewrite this piece and hence the major delay. I hope I manage to capture the essence of your song request in this fic. 
> 
> Shoutout to awesome Bibi1311 and Nesosana for beta-ing this. You have been very supportive of my writing journey and for that, I'm very thankful.

The elevator doors swished open with a resounding ding, alerting Lucifer of an incoming visitor. However, the bar owner paid no heed to his guest and continued tending to his Grand piano. His slender fingers danced gracefully on the keyboard, hitting each note with skilled precision. The mixture of melancholic acoustics and icy winter winds brought an ominous feeling to the penthouse’s already dark atmosphere. 

 

“I’m in no mood for company. I suggest you go before I lose my patience,” he warned sternly, after sensing the other’s nearing presence. 

 

Lucifer regretted his words as soon as they left his lips. He knew his anger towards his visitor was completely misplaced and yet he couldn’t stop himself. Putting up a facade as a defence mechanism against the bitter reality was extremely exhausting. No amount of therapy or advice could make up for the things that he had lost. 

 

“Lucifer…”

 

The bar owner turned his head around at the mention of his name. 

 

“Detective?” 

 

His face wrinkled in confusion at the sight of his partner, eyes wet with tears. 

 

“It was you all along, wasn’t it?”

 

When he realised what Chloe was referring to, Lucifer shamefully broke eye contact with her. Fragments of the Dakota episode flashed before his mind’s eye. 

 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Detective,” he said, hands balling into tight fists. 

 

“You were there with me that night.”

 

“No, I wasn’t.” Lucifer strongly denied. “When the team found you, you were all alone.” 

 

“Buried under four inches of snow and I lived? There is no way in Hell I could have survived.” Chloe retorted fiercely. 

 

“Miracles happen, Detective.” said Lucifer, grabbing his decanter from the piano lid, refilling his glass,  and promptly taking a drink before he continued, “And you, my dear are one of them.”

 

“I believe you.”

 

Lucifer mentally let out a sigh of relief, satisfied with her response. 

 

“Good. Looks like your brain is not damaged after all.” Lucifer joked, petting Chloe’s head gently. His chuckle died down when he felt her hand on his. He didn’t stop her when she pried the decanter away from him and placed both hands on his chest. 

 

“You don’t have to lie to me, Lucifer. I remembered everything.”

 

xxx

 

“I commend you for making it this far, Detective.”

 

Chloe jolted at the sound of a deafening gunshot followed by a soft thud. Even with her eyes blindfolded, she knew the poor soul, whoever he or she was, was dead. The blotches of warm coppery liquid on her face confirmed it. Her feet turned cold when she felt the icy metal of a gun barrel pressed against her temple. 

 

“I suggest you tell us what you know before I blow your pretty little head off.”

 

“What makes you think I know anything?”

 

A white-hot pain exploded when the butt of the gun slammed into her face, sending her sliding across the rough concrete surface. Before she could recover from the impact, she was lifted by the collar like a ragged doll by a pair of unforgiving hands. 

 

“Because you, Detective Chloe Decker, have single-handedly taken down the crime syndicate that I spent half my life building in a single raid.” He ran his fingers through Chloe’s sandy tresses, playing with a stray lock of hair and tucking it behind the shell of the Detective’s ear. “And I won’t stand for that.” 

 

Chloe retorted with a snarky remark, “Either we are getting better at our job or you’re losing your touch.” 

 

There was another heavy slap across her bruised cheek making her head spin. 

 

“You don’t know when to quit, do ya?”

 

Chloe’s split lip curved upwards, flashing a rebellious smirk. One of the few traits that she inherited from her partner's cocky personality. Her heart ached at the thought of his absence. 

 

“Not until I bring your syndicate down, Welsh. Or should I say, Sinnerman?”

 

“Challenge accepted, Detective. Let’s see who will have the last laugh when I’m done with you.”

 

xxx

 

Lucifer was sick of hearing the slew of empty promises given by the Gang and Narcotics Division. He paced the floor of his partner’s workstation like a caged animal. Worried honey eyes glued on Chloe’s desk phone, anticipating an incoming call which was long overdue. His last contact with her was almost 36 hours ago, which by his standards was abnormal. Call it a hunch, but Lucifer could sense something was not right with the way she had ended the call.

 

“You don’t have to worry about me, Lucifer.” she said, “Everything is in good hands.”

 

He knew his partner all too well not to notice her odd choice of words. Chloe’s reassurance was somewhat out of character. Why would she say that if she was closing a straightforward case? Plus, she already has backup following her closely in case of an emergency. 

 

“You worry too much, Lucifer.” Dan gave the man a pat on his shoulder. “Lieutenant Pierce is with her. You know he won’t let any harm come to her.”

 

Lucifer’s eyes flashed green with jealousy at the mention of his boss' name. To Lucifer’s dismay, the Detective and the Lieutenant had gotten rather close recently despite being total loggerheads when they first met. His partner was spending more time with the Lieutenant, both on and off duty. Not that he truly disapproved of this new development. It worked in his favour. This way Chloe could be set free from his Father’s control and ultimately lead her own life without any celestial interference. Yet, for some reason a part of him dreaded this sudden change; he felt he was slowly losing the Detective by being the bigger person. And he hated it. 

 

Lucifer answered half-heartedly. “I suppose I’m being overly paranoid…” Dan handed the man a box filled with case files. “Why don’t you help me deliver this to Ella while I check with Narcotics again?” 

 

The lab was vacant when Lucifer came in. He placed the box on top of an empty table before sauntering to the evidence board. There were many pictures pinned on it, accompanied by a few red and blue markings beside them. He skimmed through the scribbles hoping to get something from the map of information. 

 

There was nothing useful much to his disappointment. 

 

He was about to take his leave when his bubbly colleague waltz into the room. 

 

“Hey, bud. Have you heard anything from Chloe yet?”

 

Lucifer shook his head. 

 

“Not a single word. Any luck with the broken mirror?” 

 

Ella let out a frustrated grunt while retrieving a printed report from her evidence files and showed it to Lucifer. 

 

“See, here?” She pointed at the bold word NEGATIVE  at the bottom of the page. 

 

“I ran the blood splatter sample through every DNA database that exists and yet the search has come back with nada. Which totally doesn’t make sense.”

 

“Maybe our victim is an illegal immigrant who bought himself a false identity from the kingpin of this syndicate?” 

 

“Even so, the test should pingback with some result. Unless we are looking for a ghost or something that is not human, we should be able to identify the sample.”

 

Colour drained from Lucifer’s face as realisation hit him. How could he miss all the signs? He rummaged through the evidence box and pulled out a half-torn picture. Branded on the back of a burn victim was a half pentagram encircled by a Latin phrase that read “ _ Rex Domini Impiarum Animarum.”  _ The same message was engraved on top of the gargoyle’s forehead, where the first murder victim was found. A similar pentagram was spotted two days after; this time on a drowning victim in San Marino followed by a string of mysterious voicemails chanting the similar phrase. 

 

“I think I know who our killer is.”


	2. Frozen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucifer hoped he's not too late.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your comments and kudos. Shoutout to Bibi3131 and nesosana for betaing. One more part left!

Chloe rose to the chilling wind blowing on her face. Her teeth chattered violently as the unforgiving cold seeped through her exposed skin like a soaked sponge. She was lucky that her kidnappers left her clothed when they deposited her in this god forsaken place. Had they not been so generous, she would have been dead by now. However, the cotton shirt she wore was doing a poor job keeping the heat in, particularly now that it was wet from the snow. Each time the wind blew, she felt a thousand tiny needles piercing through her unprotected skin.

Speaking of piercing, what happened to the Lieutenant? She was expecting his team to bust her out from the Sinnerman’s lair as planned. Bile formed in her throat thinking of the fate of his team, now knowing the lead had been planted by Welsh from the very beginning. His henchmen probably had intercepted the squad before they even reached her.

Chloe winced when she tried to move the lower half of her body. She could feel her muscles slowly contracting from poor blood circulation, after hours of being submerged in five inches of snow. Her eyes watered at the sight of the dark blue hue spreading over her left foot. After a few minutes of struggling and a last burst of Herculean effort, she managed to curl herself into a ball, a pathetic attempt to trap the remaining heat from escaping her body. She screwed her eyes shut, silently hoping that someone would find her before it was too late.

 

She let her mind drift to her daughter, whom she had promised to return to once her job was completed. The mental image of Trixie’s delighted face welcoming her back for Christmas brought some cheer to the bleak situation. Like always, Beatrice became her beacon of hope during challenging times. For her, she would fight and survive this storm. She mentally projected this thought in her mind like a mantra on repeat, refusing to give in to the bitter cold. She would be at her daughter’s side as promised.

 

However her optimism started to wane when the hour came. She could feel the surrounding temperature change drastically. Chilling sub zero winds screeched in the background assaulting her already sensitive ears. Snow continued to fall from the grey overcast sky above, adding to the layer of snow blanketing almost half of her body. She fought against her blearing vision, vigorously blinking away the flakes pricking her eyes. Her face burned with mortification when she felt warm liquid soaking her panties.

 

The prospect of being frozen to death terrified her to the core. No amount of training had prepared her for this. Yes, she had come to terms with the risks and consequences when she signed up for this job. Yet, she was not able to face death. She never imagined that her life would end like this. Dying alone in some insignificant place, waiting for hungry wolves to feed on her corpse.

 

Tears stung her eyes thinking of the aftermath of her death. Her poor baby would be utterly devastated when she heard the news and probably resent her for breaking her promise. Dan would be totally wrecked  knowing that he was partially responsible for not stopping her. It would be a harder blow for Marcus. The Lieutenant would never be able to live with himself if he lost her. She loathed the thought of adding an additional guilt baggage on top of his brother's death.

 

And then there was Lucifer. Shame and remorse flooded her insides thinking of her partner. He tried so hard to talking her out of this case yet she took no heed of his warning.

 

_“You expect me to let go of a perfectly good lead? Are you mad?”_

 

_“Please, Detective. I need you to trust me on this. My sources tell me it’s a trap.”_

 

_“Trust?! Last time we listened to you, five innocent lives were lost,” snarled the angry Detective, stabbing her finger into his chest._

 

_“That's not true…. The Lieutenant is equally responsible for their deaths. If you recall, he was the one who authorised yours truly to run the operation.”_

 

 _Chloe had had enough. Her partner was driving her up the proverbial wall with his Lucifer-ness. She_ _wasnt going_ _to risk losing another innocent life based on Lucifer’s groundless paranoia._

 

 _“Don’t you dare put the blame on Marcus! You don’t get to do whatever you want and dump the consequences of your wrongdoings on others when things go south.”_ _The Detective reprimanded him_

 

_“But Detective, I’m only doing it for us.. The team…”_

 

_Chloe held her hand up to stop him._

 

_“I don’t want to hear your excuses, Lucifer. You have been nothing but a distraction to this whole operation. I suggest you cool off and let me and the Lieutenant handle this case.”_

 

_Lucifer let out a defeated sigh, relenting._

 

_“As you wish, Detective.”_

 

Her blatant accusation left a bitter taste in her mouth. How she wished she could take back all those hurtful words. When the Sinnerman allowed her to converse with her partner over the phone, she barely could keep her composure. She tried so hard not to break down hearing Lucifer’s voice. Tears streamed faster down her numb face regretting what might have been.

 

“I don’t want to die…”

 

“No, I won’t let you.”

 

That was the last thing she heard before succumbing to the inviting darkness.

 

xxx

 

“Where is she?! Tell me!” bellowed the Devil furiously as he pried the terrified driver from his seat shaking him roughly by the collar.

 

“I don’t know anything, man. I.. I.. swear to God. This dude just paid me three hundred grand to get rid of this van.”

 

“You're lying!”

 

The man groaned in pain when his back slammed onto the car bonnet forming a dent on the metallic surface. Lucifer lowered down his head so his eye contact was levelled to his.

 

“Tell me, Mr Driver. What do you get by helping the Sinnerman, eh?” Lucifer stared down harder, mesmerising his victim with his charm. “If money is what you’re aiming for, I can strike a bargain with you. Just name your price.”

 

“I...It’s not what you think...”

 

“Then what is it? You can tell me,” he cajoled playfully, staring deep down into the glassy cerulean.

 

The man bursted out into heavy sobs. “The Sinnerman saved my ass ok? He got me out from a tight spot five years ago and now I’m returning the favour. I don’t know what he’ll do if I betray him...”

 

Lucifer’s eyes softened at the man’s confession.

 

“I will make sure he doesn’t know. I promise.”

 

Lucifer did not dally further when he received the coordinates from his unwilling informant. He hopped in his Corvette and immediately drove up north. If what the man said was true, then it was very likely he might lose her.

 

Like a hawk foraging for prey, Lucifer scanned the forest grounds attentively for any signs of living amongst the sea of barren trees. After twenty minutes of a rather disappointing drive, he pulled his Corvette over and ventured deeper into the forest by foot. Treading the uneven ground with cap-toe Oxfords was no easy task, especially when your path is booby-trapped by hidden branches and gaps. Curling his head to his chest to resist the incoming wind, Lucifer stuffed both hands into his coat pockets and shuffled through the snow laden ground.

 

“Detective! Where are you?”

 

_“I don't want to die…”_

 

“Chloe?!”

 

The voice dissipated into the howling wind screeching in the background. Etching a whiff of her faint cry into his memory, Lucifer broke into a sprint like a frightened gazelle. His instincts steered him to an open space shrouded by a fence of towering trees. He was immediately drawn to a tinge of hazel peeking out from a bulging snow pile next to a fallen oak tree. His heart stopped when he realised that it was a piece of Chloe's shirt which he vividly remembered her wearing before she took off for her mission.  

 

“Detective!”

 

Lucifer started digging through the frosted earth with his bare hands, frantically calling out his partner’s name. Hope burned out when he discovered the article was missing its wearer. Throes of panic flooded his mind of the range of dreadful possibilities.

 

Was he too late?

 

 _No_ . _He cannot give up. His best friend is counting on him to save her._

 

Lucifer mentally dismissed his unfounded fears and began clawing deeper into the ground. His sudden contact with something solid underneath motivated him to dig faster. He had never been so thankful as to when a set of human limbs surfaced after a few minutes of laborious harrowing.

 

Trembling fingers rested on Chloe’s neck,desperately seeking out her vitals. To his relief, he found a weak pulse beating underneath the frozen skin. Colour had completely drained from her once rosy skin, leaving behind blotches of black and blue.

 

Lucifer knew these signs all too well, having to deal with dead souls for eons. Chloe was displaying symptoms of severe hypothermia. If he didn’t get her to warm up soon, he would surely lose her to the cold. Her state of undress made things worse; she was losing more heat than generating it.

 

Lucifer buried his face at the nape of her neck and whispered in her ear.

 

“I won’t let you die.”

 

He peeled off his Armani suit and wrapped it tightly around the Detective’s body. Once he had secured the makeshift insulator, Lucifer lifted Chloe up and carried her like a babe. He slouched his upper body inward providing additional cover against the rough winds. Subsequently, they sought refuge at a nearby rocky enclosure whilst waiting for the raging snowstorm to pass.

 

Lucifer was appalled to discover more contusions around her ribcage, to which he suspected was caused by blunt force trauma. Each time his fingers brushed over a tender spot or molten skin, he felt a pang of guilt stabbing him. Had he persisted, she wouldn’t have ended up like this. In retrospect, he should have leveraged on the Lieutenant’s authority to drop her out of this mission but he chose not to. Lucifer did not want to jeopardise their already fragile partnership due to his lack of trust nor did he want to undermine Chloe's capabilities. He cared for her opinion so much that it blinded him from doing what was right to secure her safety. And now, she’s paying for his mistake.  

 

The Devil muttered a string of curses under his breath as he continued to inspect her. He swore to design an extra painful form of torture as payback to the bastard who did this to her. If left to his own devices, he very much wanted to fly to the Sinnerman and destroyed him. But revenge had to wait until he had Chloe stabilised. Lucifer was at wit’s end when he noticed her body temperature continuing to drop drastically despite his attempts to keep her warm.

 

He fished out his cell phone from his vest pocket and Facetimed Dr. Linda for advice. Never had he be so thankful to see the doctor’s face on his screen.

 

“Lucifer?! Is that...”

 

“Yes, I’m with the Detective and…” He adjusted his cellphone, focusing the rear camera on Chloe. He knew things were bleak when he saw Linda’s horrified look.

 

“I’ve tried everything but nothing seems to be working…”

 

Lucifer let out a defeated whisper, tears of desperation rimming his bloodshot eyes.

 

“Please... Doctor...save her.”  

 

“Ok… let me see. How long has she been out in the cold?”

 

“About two hours or so.” He shook his head and corrected himself. “No...Five hours, give or take. I forgot to account for the three hour before I found her.”

 

“Have you tried warming her up?”

 

“Well, yes. As you can see, I have the Detective bundled up in a cocoon.” he pointed out.

 

“Clothes are pretty much useless at this juncture. You need to apply direct heat to jumpstart her system.”

 

Lucifer looked at his therapist as if she grew another head.

 

“Doctor, are you suggesting to burn her?”

 

“What?! No! Don’t be ridiculous. That would kill her.”

 

“What is it then, Doctor? I don’t have much time.”

 

Doctor Linda averted her eyes and cleared her throat. What she was about to inform Lucifer was beyond inappropriate but it had to be done.

 

“Lucifer, I need you to strip off your clothes and lie with Chloe.” the Doctor instructed.

 

Lucifer blinked in confusion.

 

“Are you sure, Doctor? I don’t think the Detective would agree to the idea of being touched without her consent..” Lucifer hesitated.

 

Dr. Linda’s heart swelled with adoration for her kind and thoughtful friend. This was one of the rare moments that Lucifer showed her softer side; a mirror image to his charming womaniser persona. She hoped he would be more forthcoming with his feelings in the future.

 

“Prolonged exposure to the cold has stuned Chloe’s body’s ability to generate heat. The only way to correct this is through body-to-body heat transfer. It will help her to absorb the heat needed to regulate her body temperature instead of releasing it.”

 

“Understood. If you’ll excuse us.. ”

 

“Remember to cover as much surface area as you can to prevent heat loss.” Linda reminded before the screen turned black.

 

Lucifer stowed away the device and approached the unconscious Detective. His eyes gazed upon his unconscious friend, laying despondent in the cocoon of fabric around her. All of a sudden, he got cold feet at the thought of undressing the Detective and laying himself on her. The last thing he wanted was to face the wrath of a misinformed Detective and sever their partnership for good.

 

No, he shouldn't falter now, Lucifer reasoned with himself. Chloe’s life is more important to him than the consequences of the act itself. He’s willing to face the music if it meant he could prevent her death. He had gone too far to lose her now.

 

Lucifer took a deep breath and got to work. He removed his remaining attire and bunched them up forming a makeshift pillow. He lifted the Detective’s head gently and placed it against his chest. His breath hitched at the captivating sight of the Detective as he removed the fabric off her. A soft hiss escaped Lucifer when her cold skin came into contact with his. It felt like he was being freeze branded. He chuckled at the irony - the Lord of Hell being cowed by the bitter cold.

 

Lucifer managed to form a human(devil?) shield around the Detective after making a few adjustments to their positions. He followed his therapist’s advice diligently - All his four limbs were securely wrapped around Chloe like a protective octopus, leaving no space in between them. Lucifer curled his body inwards to maximise the contact (which include areas that made his face flush crimson) for efficient heat transfer. He mentally cursed his Father for setting him up for such tribulation with the absence of his powers. Lucifer had finally gotten the taste of his own medicine - temptation at its finest.

 

After contemplating for some time, Lucifer decided to unfurl his wings and enveloped them for additional protection. Had he not lost his Devil powers, he would have easily heated them both with the fires of hell instead of using his feathered appendages as an insulator. Nestled in the warmth of his wings and cuddled around his loved one, Lucifer finally gave into his exhaustion and slept.

 

Help came at the break of dawn. Lucifer left the scene discreetly before the SWAT troop stormed in. He watched stealthy in the shadows as the paramedics tried to resuscitate Chloe. Lucifer restrained himself from rushing to her side when she stirred from unconsciousness. A moment later, the Lieutenant was spotted hobbling to her side. His eyes flashed green with envy when he saw Marcus entwine his fingers with Chloe,  attempting to comfort her. Unable to stomach the sight of the two love birds, he made his way out of the enclosure without anyone seeing.


	3. Revelation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The cat is finally out of the bag.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's finally here.
> 
> Thank you Sanoiro for the prompt and my fellow betas, Bibi1311 and Nesosana for your wonderful work.

Lucifer looked at her quizzically.   
  
"Really? Please enlighten me," scoffed Lucifer with an underlying tone bordering dare and curiosity.   
  
"The Sinnerman ordered his henchmen to dispose of me after they couldn't extract the information they wanted. I lost consciousness after inhaling chloroform and the next thing I knew, I was lying on a pile of snow left to die."   
  
Chloe balled her hands into tight fists, mentally battling the onslaught of memories as she continued.    
  
"I tried to be positive about it but I know I was only fooling myself when I realised my legs were frozen stiff." She took a deep breath. "I thought no one would find me until you came."    
  
Good, no mention of wings or sleeping naked together. Looks like his therapist kept her promise.    
  
"Now I'm absolutely positive that you were hallucinating, my dear," replied Lucifer with a titter. "There was no way I could have brought you to safety without any help. The rescue team took almost two days to locate you in Dakota."   
  
Lucifer captured her hands in his and waggled his eyebrows suggestively.    
  
"Perhaps you secretly wanted me to be there, Detective. That's why you've mistaken the Lieutenant as me." teased the Devil, flashing his signature grin.    
  
"I know what I saw, Lucifer. Perhaps you will believe me when you see it too."    
  
Lucifer was perplexed at Chloe's response.    
  
"Go ahead and surprise me, Detective."    
  
Chloe nodded and slipped her hand into the front pocket of her navy blue jeans. Lucifer eyed wearily on the tip of a pristine white feather resting between her finger and thumb.    
  
"Wh..ere did you get that?"    
  
"It was in my palm when I woke up at the hospital. I've asked around but no one seemed to know anything about it."   
  
"What's this plume got to do with me? " Lucifer asked incredulously.    
  
"Call me crazy but I have a hunch that it is somehow connected to you. What the... "   
  
She stopped dead in her tracks when the feather in her hand glowed.    
  
"Chloe!"    
  
Lucifer tackled his partner to the ground before the illumination intensified and exploded into a blinding light. 

 

xxx

  
When Chloe opened her eyes, all she could see was an empty whiteness. The stillness and deafening silence totally creeped her out; goosebumps raised on her skin as she meandered around.    
  


"Hello? Anyone here?"    


As though her question was answered, a wooden door appeared before her. Out of curiosity, Chloe pulled the golden ring hanging in the middle of the door, revealing a green lush pasture filled with bright coloured daffodils. She spotted a man a few metres away, staring into the distance. Chloe was intrigued by the person's features; he bore an uncanny resemblance to someone she knew. The untamed hair and statuesque body seemed eerily familiar. As she was about to call him, two men appeared from behind and assaulted him. He put up a good fight but was overpowered by his oversized attackers. She gasped in horror when one of the men unsheathed his sword and pressed the tip to his throat, forcing him to yield. His associate took the opportunity to kick him in the calves, forcing him to kneel. They restrained him with a heavy chain and hauled him away like a wild animal.   
  


Chloe followed closely behind. She had no idea what was going on but these men, whoever they were, might have answers. She let out an undignified yelp when forks of lightning struck the ground, engulfing the beautiful meadow in flames. However, it did not stop her from chasing after the mysterious men. Unfortunately, a burning tree fell and blocked her path. The thickened smoke blurred her vision and the next thing she knew she was transported to another scene.  The same man whom she saw earlier laid prone on the cold hard floor, surrounded by faceless beings. His topless body was marred by cuts and bruises. On top of that, a pair of pristine white wings jutted out from his back, each bloodied and stretched at an odd angle. A figure emerged and stomped his foot on one of his wings, earning an excruciating cry from the bound man. He brandished his long sword and addressed the crowd in a booming voice.    
  
_ "Let this be a lesson to those who defy the Lord." _   
  
Chloe looked away when his attacker plunged his sword into the covert of his wings, tearing the feathery appendages apart. The man screamed himself hoarse as the blade mercilessly cut him like a chicken being slaughtered. By the end of the torture, his attacker dragged him away and threw him off a cliff.   
  
"No!" 

Without thinking, Chloe lunged at the falling man. She extended her hand to grab him but to her dismay, it went through him when she touched his wrist. That did not deter her; she tried a few times until thinning oxygen rendered her unconscious.    
  
An ear-piercing howl stirred Chloe awake from oblivion. She blinked as her eyes adjusted to the darkness. Her nostrils wrinkled at the acrid odour of molten lava wafting in the air. This place looked like one of Trixie's drawings. Towering walls of jagged rocks enveloped her surroundings,  jutting up unevenly like a sore thumb. After a few minutes of aimless meandering, she came across a clear path which leads her to a vacant throne at her destination. As she got closer, the figure of a man came into her peripheral vision, wailing at the foot of the throne.    
  
"Dad, please take me back. I promise I won't disobey you again."   
  
Chloe immediately recognised the broken and hoarse voice.    
  
"Lucifer?"    
  
The man turned around upon hearing his name.    
  
"Who goes there?"    
  
The man's features were now clearly visible to her. She suppressed a shiver when a twin pair of crimson eyes stared deeply into hers.  Oh God, his complexion was painful to look at. He looked like he was flayed alive; the severity of his burns exposed his bones and tendons underneath. Every fibre of her being asked her to bolt but her mind rebelled.    
  
This was her friend, for crying out loud.    
  
"I'm Chloe Decker, your partner. We work for the LAPD," she introduced herself.    
  
"Liar!" he roared. "You expect me to believe that a mere mortal like you could be my equal?!"    
  
Chloe stilled herself at Lucifer's outburst but her eyes never broke contact with his.    
  
"Yes, it's true. You're my partner and friend." she insisted.   
  
Lucifer's eyes narrowed apprehensively at the woman.    
  
"Hmm, interesting..." He tapped his chin. "You are immune to my charms."   
  
"So, I was told," replied the Detective nonchalantly.    
  
Lucifer arched his brows.    
  
"Are you not afraid of me? I'm the Devil, evil incarnate, darling. People lose their minds when they see me."   
  
Chloe shook her head.    
  
"The Lucifer I know is a good person. He may be the Devil but he is not evil. He punishes evil."   
  
Lucifer looked at her with awe in his eyes.    
  
"That is the kindest thing anyone has ever said to me, darling. Thank you."   
  
Lucifer cupped her hand in his. A second later, her body glowed and disappeared in a blinding light.    
  
She was back in the void again.    
  
Chloe fell to her knees, hot tears streaming down her face as the truth finally sunk in. Her partner, Lucifer Morningstar was really the immortal he claimed to be; not some made up persona he used to hide his insecurities. Her cheeks burned with mortification, realising the gravity of her mistake. Since day one of her partnership, he had been honest with his identity and yet she regarded his claims as a joke. Having witnessed first hand the unspeakable cruelty inflicted upon her partner, she knew the visions she saw were just the icing on the cake. Who knows what else he kept from her?

As though the void read her mind, the mist around her vanished instantly revealing Lucifer at the grand piano. Mazikeen was resting on top of the instrument, nursing a bottle of Absolut as she watched her master play.

_ “Lucifer, I’m moving in with Decker.”    
_

_ The bar owner’s music ended off-tune.  _

_ “What?” He slammed the piano lid shut with a loud thud.  _

_ “No, no, and no!” Lucifer exclaimed, utterly horrified at the prospect of Maze befriending his partner. Who knows what the conniving little demon had up her sleeve. “You and Maze are like snow pants and elephants. You don’t mix.” Dad forbid Maze got to have sex with the Detective before he did. _

_ “We talked about it on Ladies’ Night. Decker told me that she didn’t want her mom to meddle in her life anymore. Something about being independent. We are dropping by with a housing agent tomorrow.” Mazikeen gave the Devil a sardonic smile. “Not that you have the guts to follow.”  _

_ “You are definitely not going house hunting with the Detective. I won’t allow it.”  _

_ “You’re not the boss of me, Lucifer. Not anymore,” Maze teased, sticking out her tongue playfully. _

_ “Fine.”  _

Chloe watched suspiciously when Lucifer fished out a ballpoint pen from his breast pocket and started to scribble something on a piece of paper. 

_ “Bring the Detective to this address. Tom will help you with the selection. I believe it’s time for him to return the favour.” _

Maze folded the paper and stored it in between her cleavage.

_ “And Maze?” _

He poked a cigarette in his mouth and lighted it, huffing out an O-shaped cloud of smoke.

_ “Please keep this to yourself. I don’t want the Detective to get the wrong idea. I’m doing this out of my own goodwill.” _

_ The demon rolled her eyes and continued sipping her drink. _

Chloe couldn’t believe her ears. Lucifer had subsidised her apartment rent with his own money. After all, this was over she would need to have a talk with him. At the same time, Lucifer’s kindness tugged at her heart. His selflessness was one of the qualities she admired in Lucifer. The guy may be totally clueless in the emotional department but he could really be thoughtful at times.

 

As though the show had ended, her surroundings dimmed leaving three translucent screens in front of her. The first one was portraying a scene from the abandoned warehouse where Malcolm Graham held her daughter as a hostage. Lucifer waltzed in like a dazzling debonair and distracted the corrupt cop whilst Chloe escaped. The familiar crackle of Malcolm’s open fire resounded in the air, hitting Lucifer right in the heart. 

 

Lucifer coughed up blood as he spoke. _ “ I don't know if this is all part of the plan. Or if You can even hear me. but if You're up there... Dad... I need a favour. I'll be the son You always wanted me to be. I'll do as You ask. Go where You want me to. I... In exchange, all I ask is... is that you protect Chloe.” _

 

The second screen lit up. Chloe saw Mazikeen lying unconscious on the floor with cuts and bruises on her face. She recognised the broken glass panel immediately. It was the church where Father Frank’s murder took place. The detective recalled how devastated Lucifer was when he couldn’t save the priest. A male figure was ascending the stairs, finger hovering over a white key. There was a glint of madness in his hazel eyes.

 

_ “ Now, all I need to do is hit this one little key right here. A sequence will begin, and two days from now your cute little human will finally die. Because you made it so difficult, now I'm gonna take out Mom and the Detective.” _

 

Chloe gasped when Lucifer spun the man around and plunged a dagger straight into the man’s heart. The haunting look in his bloodshot eyes would haunt her forever. Tears welled in her eyes. Lucifer had killed his own flesh and blood to protect her. It was something that she would have to live with. 

 

When she saw the final screen, her heart broke into pieces. The betrayal etched upon her partner’s face upon discovering the truth from his mother, strangely in the form of Charlotte Richard’s body. Lucifer looked at Mazikeen with pleading eyes, hoping his demon would refute the woman’s words. Her downcast gaze, confirmed his worst fears.  

 

_ “So, none of it was real?” _

 

Chloe watched helplessly as Lucifer stormed out of the bar and drove his Corvette to her house. 

 

_ “Dad, why?” he hollered at the starless sky. “Why her?” _

 

Things escalated quickly when Lucifer found out his partner was dying of poisoning. And Chloe then discovered, she had robbed him of his life for the second time. 

 

One by one, the screens dissolved into speckles of silvery dust, revealing the silhouette of a man. 

 

“Lucifer?”

 

The bar owner stepped closer until he was clearly seen with his wings spanning as high as his height.

 

“So now you know the truth, Detective.” 

 

“Lucifer...I...”

 

“I’m sorry that you have to see my other side. Please forgive me.” 

 

Chloe’s jaw hung open wide.

 

“What are you talking about? If anything, I should be the one apologising.” She could feel herself losing control of her emotions with each word she uttered. “I’ve hurt you countless times and yet you are always there by my side, protecting me. For that, I’m eternally grateful.”

 

Lucifer shook his head. 

 

“No, it was all Dad’s fault. He made you feel this way.”

 

“Don’t be ridiculous, Lucifer. Emotion is genuine. You can’t make someone feel something.”

 

“No, I don’t believe you. If it weren’t for Dad’s intervention, you wouldn’t have met me.”

 

“And why is that a bad thing, Lucifer?” 

 

“I won’t stand by and watch him take away your free will like he did mine,” he exclaimed, fanning out his enormous wings. 

 

“Oh, Lucifer…” 

 

Chloe gently cupped his face, steadying him so their visions were aligned. She could see the mixture of need and hesitation blended together in the pool of brown. After eons of disappointment and neglect, it was no mystery that her friend felt hopeless. If words failed him before, perhaps she needed to show him how much he meant to her.

 

“What I feel for you is real, believe me.” She guided his hand to her damp cheeks. “These are real and so is this.”

 

Chloe leaned forward and captured her partner’s lips. She felt him still at the unexpected contact initially. Seconds later, Lucifer was kissing her with equal fervour having his needs being repressed for so long. The wave of emotions was too much for the Devil to take. He broke their kiss and fell to his knees, arms wrapped around her waist.

 

“I love you, Chloe. I love you so much…” he said, uncaring for the unmanly tears streaming down his face. “Stay with me. I don’t want to be alone anymore.” he pleaded softly. 

 

Bending on one knee, Chloe responded to his plea with a bone-crushing hug.  

 

“Never, Lucifer. I will never leave you.” 

 

xxx

 

Since youth, Chloe thought that Christmas was a day meant for exchanging gifts and spending time with the ones you love. This year’s Christmas, however, taught her something new - it’s about giving, hope, and salvation. In her case, it was all thanks to the Devil who was fast asleep in her arms. To her surprise everything was well for her - Trixie was spending Christmas with her Dad and grandparents; Maze on bounty duty and it was a zero case day. 

 

She swept away stubborn curls that were covering his eyes and planted a soft kiss on his forehead. He looked so much younger when relaxed despite his immortal age. Tears rimmed her tired eyes, thinking of the aeons of innocence Lucifer lost since he was banished from Heaven. 

 

Lucifer stirred from his sleep, sensing Chloe’s troubled feelings. 

 

“What’s wrong, Chloe? Did I hurt you?” 

 

It was endearing and heart-wrenching to see Lucifer blaming himself for all her pain. 

 

“No...it’s just..” She sighed. “I can’t believe your father condemned you just because you asked for free will. His own flesh and blood... How could he do that?” 

 

“Well, like you humans always say, Dad works in mysterious ways.” Lucifer rose from the bed and nuzzled her neck. “Besides, you’re worth all the pain and suffering. No doubt I would do it all over again for you.”

 

Heat crept onto her face upon Lucifer's confession. On the flipside, it was a good thing that God brought them together. She wouldn't have discovered such a wonderful person if it weren’t for His intervention. With him, she was complete with as though they were two halves a whole. 

 

“Let’s wipe that frown off your face with another round, if you’re game,” he said, leering at her blanket covered bosom.

 

_ Well, and of course, the insatiable side of the Devil.  _

 

“Shut up.” 

 

Chloe pushed her partner down and devoured him with a hungry kiss.

 

From the radio, the pick of the day song hummed in the background. 

 

_ Your love never burned this bright _ __  
_ Never burned as bright as mine _ __  
_ The only gift that I would like this Christmas _ __  
_ Don't be cold as ice _ __  
_ Keep me warm this Christmas _ _  
_ __ Stay the night

 

The End

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for time. I hope you enjoy this final piece. Please drop me a comment on your thoughts at the time of your convenience.


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